Dryers



Jan. 22, 1957 W. L. KAUFFMAN ll DRYERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

FIG-Z Jan. 22, 1957 v61. 'KAUFFMAN 2,773,124

DRYERS Filed Jan. 15, 1954 W 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 2,778,124 Hatented Jan. 22 1957 DRYERS' Walter L Kauflman '11, Erie, Pa., assignor'to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corp'orafion of Pennsylvania Application January 15, 1954, Serial No. 404,182 3 Claims. (Cl. 34,-133) In domestic clothes dryers much-ironing of flat work such as sheets and pillow-cases can be eliminated by folding the dried articles and stacking on a heated surface cabinet I mounted on a section 11 which deviates from a semicylindrical shape in that it has a generally square corner 12 in a lower quadrant. The sections and 11 are respectively fastened to supporting rings 13 on the front wall 3 and 14 on a back sheet 15 fixed to the post 7. The supporting rings 13 and 14 obviously conform to the shape of the sections 14) generally by arrows 20. This air picks up heat from the heating element 17 and as it flows through through the back sheet 15 within the generally square corner 12 in the lower semi-cylindrical section 11.

tially self-cleaning. The generally vertical wall 25 of the inlet duct 24 is kept free from lint by gravity. The generally horizontal wall 26 of the inlet duct has a slight downward inclination where they are usually drawn into the suction and intake 23 and discharged out through a lint trap 27 in the base of the dryer.

While the shape of the inlet duct 24 is such that it is essentially self-cleaning due to the absence of any sharp corners with articles having an excessive amount of lint such as tufted bedspreads, it has been observed that lint 2., can bunch up at'the front of theinlet duct. While the the suction of the cabinet. scavenging air admitted-atthis point which is the flanged opening 4 into the passageway 28 leading to the front of' the duct-' 24. By this arrangement, the scavenging air does not interfere with the drying action ofthe clothes which is primarily effected by the air enter-- mg. the inlet openings 18 and 19 at each end of the raised the air entering this space is preheated bycontact with the exterior of the casing'surrounding the drum, the top of the cabinet will be relatively hotet g. -200 degrees and will provide an ideal heated folded articles can be stacked so-that will set the fibers in-a wrinkle-free condition;- other hand, if the top 30 of the cabinet is not to as'a heated surface,

accomplished by louvers 32 of the cabinet back wall 8 controlled by a manual slide 33 having a handle 34-.

wall 3 of the such a high temperature as to be ob ectionable to touch. However, when the slide 33 1S moved to the position closing the louvers 32, the air which flows through the space between the top 30 of the cabinet and the raised section 16 above the cabinet is eliminated provides the desirable heated articles can be stacked. Since slide 33 the air which flows surface upon which folded in either position of the upon which folded articles can be stacked or a cool top which will be at a temperature low enough so as to be unobjectionable to touch.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a clothes dryer, a drum, a cylindrical casing surrounding the drum, a cabinet housing the casing, said cabinet having a top wall above the casing, a front wall rear of the casing, means for heating air and circulating the heated air through the drum including a fan at the lower rear part of the cabinet having intake duct means extending toward the front of the cabinet and communicating with the interior of the casing along the length of the duct, a discharge duct for the fan leading outside the cabinet, said casing having an openingto the cabinet in the top of the casing at the front communicating with the space between the drum and the front wall of the cabinet, louvers in the top of the back wall of the cabinet for conducting cooling air between the top wall of the cabinet and over the top of the casing to said opening,

- and manually operable means for closing the louvers to shut off the flow of. cooling air so the top wall of the cabinet will become a heated surface on which folded articles can be stacked.

2. In a clothes dryer, a drum, a cylindrical casing surrounding the drum, a cabinet housing the casing, said cabinet having a top wall above the casing, a front wall spaced in front of the drum and a back, wall spaced to the rear of the casing, means for heating air and circulating the heated air through the drum including a fan at the lower part of the cabinet having intake duct means extending toward the front of the cabinet and communicating with the interior of the casing along the length of the duct, a discharge duct for the tan leading outside the cabinet, said casing having an opening to the cabinet in the top of the casing at the front communicating with the space between the drum and the front wall of the cabinet, louvers in the top of the back wall of the cabinet for conducting cooling air between the top wall of the cabinet and over the top of the casing to said passageway, and manually operable means for closing the louvers to shut off the flow of cooling air so the top wall of the cabinet will become a heated articles can be stacked.

3. In a clothes dryer, a drum, a cylindrical casing surrounding the drum, a cabinet housing the casing, said cabinet having a top wall above the casing, a front wall spaced in front of the drum and forming the front wall of the casing and a back wall spaced to the rear of the casing, a support for the cylindrical wall of the casing including a ring attached to said front wall of the cabinet, means for heating air and circulating the heated air through the drum including a fan at the lower rear part of the cabinet having intake duct means extending toward the front of the cabinet and communicating with the interior of the casing along the length of the duct, a discharge duct for the fan leading outside the cabinet, the cylindrical wall of the casing at the top of said ring having an opening leading from the cabinet to the space between the drum and the front wall of the cabinet, louversin the top of the back wall of the cabinet for conducting cooling air over between the top wall of the cabinet and the top of the casing to said opening, and manually operable means for closing the louvers to shut Gff the flow of cooling air so the top wall of the cabinet will become a heated surface on which folded articles can be stacked.

surface on which folded References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,333,000 Gayring Oct. 26, 1943 2,505,041 Gorsuch Apr. 25, 1950 2,540,955 Moore Feb. 6, 1951 2,550,ll8 Kauftman ll Apr. 24, 1951 2,664,646 Bourner .a Jan. 5, 1954 

